Art of winding odd-shape coils



Sept. 7, 1948. H. v. KNAUF, JR 2,443,572

ART OF WINDING ODD-SHAPE COILS Filed Dec. 50, 1944 INVENTOR. HARRY v. KNAUF JR.

f ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 7, 1948 2,448,672 ART or wmnmc op -snare cons Harry V. Knau'l, Jr., Oaklyn, N. 1., assignor to Radio Corporation oi. America, a corporation of Delaware Application December 30,1944, Serial No. 570,663 7 Claims. (Cl. liq-92.2)

This invention relates to the art of winding coils, particularly odd-shape (e. g., "bent) coils and, while not limited thereto, will be described as applied to the manufacture of so-called "saddle-shape coils.

Saddle-shape coils find useful application not only in electric motors and generatorsiwhere they may comprise the stator windings) but also in television and analogous arts wherein they are commonly employed as deflecting-coils for imparting horizontal and vertical scanning movements to the electron-beam in cathode-ray tubes of various types. Such coils are usually made by hand from plane rectangular coils simply by bending-down the sides and bending-up the ends of the rectangle. This practice, however, is objectionable because in distorting the original coil the wire may break or its insulation may be damaged. Alternatively, the saddle-shape may be acquired during the winding operation, for example in the manner taught by Grundmann in copending application Serial No. 538,006, filed May 30, 1944, Pat. No. 2,395,736, granted February 26, 1946. While Grundmanns method and machine obviate the above mentioned objections to bent coils it may be said, generally, that the reciprocating or oscillatory winding-movement advocated by Grundmann limits the winding speed.

Accordingly, the principal object of thepresent invention is to obviate the foregoing and other less apparent objections --to present day methods of manufacturingcoils of the general character described.

Another and important object of the invention is to provide an improved method of, and apparatus for, making odd-shaped coils; the desired odd-shape being achieved during the winding operation without the use of any reciprocating or oscillating parts or movements.

Another and specific object of the present in vention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and a trouble-free machine for winding odd-shape coils, and one wherein both the winding head and the supply spool are mounted for simple rotary motion; whereby the time required to set up the wire and to remove the coils from the machine is reduced and the winding speed is greatly increased.

The invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a coil winding machine including a supply spool and a winding I of the shaft 3 so that the operator may at all -l5 head constructed and arranged in accordance with the principle of the invention.

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the winding head just prior to the removal of a coil therefrom and Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the saddle-shape coil of Fig. 4.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters represent the same parts in all figures, l designates, generally, a winding head which is fixed on the end of a shaft 3; the shaft being mounted for simple rotary movement as on bearings 5 in the side of a gear box or other housing I for the motor or other driving-mechanism, not shown. The housing I is shown provided with a dial plate 9 and a pointer II for counting the revolutions times be aware of the number of turns of wire on the winding head i. The other parts of the counting mechanism are not illustrated since they form no part of the present invention and may be of any convenient tim The winding head which has been selected for illustration comprises a cylindrical body i3 and a removable cap l5. The cylinder i3 is fixed on its side, midway of its length, to the, end of the shaft 3 and the cap 15 is removably attached to the opposite side of the cylinder as by means of a screw or equivalent part IT. The length .of the cap i5 (as measured along a median line y--y normal to the common axis m-x of the shaft 3 and cylinder i3) is less thanthe length of the cylinder and it will be observed (see Fig. 2) that the ends I31; and I3!) of the cylinder extend outwardly beyond that convex surface portion I30 (Fig. 4) of the cylinder to which the cap I5 is affixed. Thus, as indicated at i9 and 2| there is an arcuate space or slot between each end of the cylinder and the adjacent end of the cap. These slots i9 and M extend more or less, about the convex surface of the cylinder, parallel to its axis of rotation 1-1: and are inter-connected by slots 20 and 22 respectively which extend lengthwise of the cylinder, i. e. normal to the common axis. .ra: (Fig; 3) of rotation of the shaft and cylinder. The side walls of these "lateral slots 20 and 22 comprise, on the one hand, the concave underside of the cap i5 and, on the other hand, the convex outer surface of the cylinder I3, while the bottom of each of the said slots is defined by one of the parallel edges I511, I511 of a central land or riser l5c (Fig. 4) on the'underside of the cap. As indicated in Fig. 4 the riser 5c is formed by cutting two arcuate grooves (of a greater radius of curvature than the cylinder l3) on the inner surface of the cap parallel to the long axis (y-y) of the cylinder on opposite sides of its axis (a:-:c) of rotation.

While the length dimension of each of the slots l9 and 2| extends parallel to the axis (:z:--:t) of rotation of the head I, and the length dimension of each of the slots and 22 extends in a direction normal to the said axis it will be observed that the depth dimension of the transverse slots 20 and 22, like the depth dimension of each of the longitudinal slots l9 and 2| extends into the head along lines (note the arrows 2| and 22 of Fig. 2) which are substantially parallel to the said axis. However. it should also be observed that the approach to the entrance or mouth of the transverse slots 20 and 22 is from the shaft end of the head while the approach to the longitudinal slots l9 and 2| is from the opposite direction, that is from the outer end of the head. Thus the wire (29) must be thrown first in one direction along the axis :r:c and then in the opposite direction along the said axis if it is to enter the slots l9, 20, 2|

and 22 and form the saddle-shape coil of Figs. 4

. to the cost of making such coils. These dlfllculties are obviated in accordance with the present invention by mounting the supply spool 25 for simple rotary motion as on a spindle 21 and by the prov sion of oppositely directed vanes 3|, 32,

33 and 34 on the winding head I for directing the wire 29 alternately forwardly and rearwardly of the head whereby it is entered, successively, into the winding slots I9, 20, 2| and 22. There are two vanes (3| and 33) on the cap l5 and two (32 and 34) on the cylinder l3. The cap-vanes 3| and 33 extend outwardly in opposite directions.

(1. e. "up and down as viewed in Fig. 1) from diametrically opposite corners of the cap. The vanes 32 and 34 on the other hand extend outwardly (to the "left and to the "right as viewed in Fig. 1) and curve rearwardly from diametrically opposite portions of the extendedi. e. "forward end-plates |3a and |3b of the cylinder l3. Thus, the head I may besaid to be provided with a series of oppositely ,extending alternate and intermediate" coil forming slots l9, 2|2022) which surround the axis (:r:r) of rotation of the head, and with,"alternate and "intermediate vanes for directing the strand 29 sequentially into said oppositely extending coil-forming slots.

In setting up the winding head the free end of the wire is tied under the head of the screw I! which holds the cap I5 on the cylinder l3. The wire 29 is then looped over the vane 3| (Fig. 1) and moved into both the longitudinal slot I9 and the lateral slot 20. (In Fig. 1, the slot I9 is concealed by vane 3|.) It will be observed upon inspection of Fig. 1 that the curved (for-.-

ward) edge of the vane 32 is now in contact with the wire adjacent to the point at which the wire emerges from the lateral slot 20. When the power is turned on, the head, and hence the vanes thereon, rotate in the clockwise direction and the vane 32' urges the wire forwardly (i. e. toward the outer end of the head) and into the adjacentlongitudinal slot 2|. As the clockwise plete the first full turn of the coil 23. In Fig. 2 the head is shown in a position whereat the wire 29 having been entered into the longitudinal slot 2| by the vane 32 has now encountered the cap vane 33 which urges it rearwardly into the second transverse slot 22. Fig. 3 shows the wire just before it rides over the transverse edge of the cap l5 into the lateral slot 22 and just before it encounters the cylinder-vane 34 which moves it downwardly and forwardly into the next or first mentioned (longitudinal) slot I!) to start the second turn of the coil.

As the head continues to revolve above the axis xx the wire is piled up in the slots I9. 20, 2| and 22 to form a coil of the desired number of turns. When the movement is halted the screw I1 is unscrewed whereupon the cap |5 and the coil 23 may be removed from the cylinder I3. Subsequently, the coil may be impregnated and set as in a suitable mold or the like, not shown.

Since the. coil winding machine of the present invention requires no cams, levers or other eccentric parts it may be operated at almost any speed. In practice a convenient speed for winding deflecting-coils (for cathode-ray tubes of various types) is 1500 revolutions per minute. Somewhat lower speeds are recommended for winding stator and other coils of a size requiring the use of a larger or heavier winding head than the one illustrated.

It will be observed upon inspection of Figs. 4 and 5 that the coil 23 here illustrated is symmetrical about both' its axes 32-3: and 11-11. It will be apparent however that this symmetry and indeed the general contour of the coil may be altered by altering the shape or the relative dimensions of one or both parts of the winding head. By way of example, the relative lengthto-thickness or length-to-width ratio, or the angle of tilt,or the-arc of curvature of any or all of the boundaries of the coil may be changed by altering the dimensions or shapes of the slots in which the coil is wound.

Accordingly, it is to be understood that the foregoing description of a specific embodiment of the invention is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense except as required by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A winding head having an axis of rotation and a plurality of coil-forming slots arranged movement of the head continues the wire encounters the curved (rear) surface of the next vane I around said axis and extending into said head in alternately longitudinal and transverse directions with respect to said axis, and means responsive to rotation of said head for directing a strand sequentially into said longitudinal and transverse coil-forming slots. I

2. A winding head having an axis of rotation and having alternate and intermediate coil-forming slots, arranged around said axis and extending into said head in opposite directions, and alternate and intermediate vanes individual to said slots on said head for directing a strand sequentially into said oppositely extending coil- I forming slots.

3. A winding head having an axis of rotation and a plurality of coil-forming slots arranged about said axis and extending into said head in opposite directions substantially parallel to said axis, and means integral with said winding head 5' 7 4. An apparatus for winding coils comprising a winding head having an axis of rotation and a plurality of coil-forming slots arranged about said axis substantially in the outline of a rectangle, the slots defining the parallel ends of the rectangle extending into said head in one axial direction and the slots defining the sides of the rectangle extending into said head in the other axial direction, means to supply a strand to said head along a line substantially normal to the axis of rotation of said head, and a plurality of vanes individual to said slots mounted .on said head in a position to successively engage said strand upon rotation of said head, each of said vanes having a strand-engaging edge curved in a, direction calculated to urge said strand into the slot to which said vane is allotted.

5. A winding head comprising a body member having a saddle-shape portion and a complementarily-shaped cap member adapted to be removably aflixed to said body member to form a saddle-shape coil-forming slot, and a plurality of vanes mounted on said body and cap members adjacent to the respective sides of said saddle for directing a strand into said coil-forming slot.

6. A winding head comprising a, part having a convex surface, a second part adapted to be secured to said first mentioned part and having an inner concave surface presented across an intervening space to said convex surface, said parts having an axis of rotation lying along a radius common to said convex and concave surfaces and said intervening space comprising a coiliorming slot, and means responsive to rotation of said head about said axis for directing a REFERENCES man The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 533,885 Geisenhoner Feb. 12, 1895 604,843 Riker May 31, 1898 733,232 Lundskog July 7, 1903 733,633 Drees July 14, 1903 1,995,916 Collins Mar. 26, 1935 

